Over the past few weeks, the kids at the Boys & Girls Club of Bainbridge Island had the chance to observe the process of incubating and hatching baby chicks. We brought in an incubator to place in a quiet corner of the Club, and a neighbor graciously donated a dozen fertilized chicken eggs from her farm for us to hatch.

We placed a set of cross-section model eggs next to the incubator and kids checked in to see what was happening at each point in the 21-day life cycle of the eggs. This process sparked lots of great conversations about science, and the kids were inspired to make chick-themed art.

The eggs hatched a few days earlier than expected. During the two days of hatching, kids came in and out of the room to watch the hatching process up close. This was a very exciting time! By the end of the week, some chicks were ready to leave the incubator to hang out under the heat lamp while they waited to go home (to two staff members’ homesteads).

It was hard for the kids to resist the urge to pet the chicks, who transformed from eggs to puff balls so quickly, but they managed. They hung lots of welcome letters and fan art all around the table, white board, and chairs surrounding the chicks.

All in all, it was a great time for all at the Club!